HPV

Why I didn't get the vaccine:

First off, my doctor insisted I get it. When I said I was all set, she kept promoting it...so I asked a few questions. Don't you have to be sexually active to get HPV? (Yup) How many men have HPV? What are the odds you'll get it? What are the odds the virus will turn cause cancer? How many strains of the virus does this vaccinate me against? (4 out of 17...the 4 strains cause 70% of the cancer cases or something like that). How long has it been out? (Not long enough!) How do I know it even works? Can't you still get HPV and the cancer despite the vaccine? (yep, that 30%)

Despite the that I genuinely expressed the fact that I was not and was not planning on being sexually active, my doctor still insisted. Every annual visit to her from the age of 14 to 18 I had to tell her no and explain that I wasn't comfortable with getting the vaccine. Don't get me wrong, she was good doctor and she had to inform me, but why must she be so pushy!?

However, the other day facebook confirmed my decision on not getting the shot when an ad on the side of my screen said: "if you received 3 dose regimen of a HPV vaccine, you may qualify for an INVESTIGATION RESEARCH study. Compensation available". Now that's comforting...

Dream (September 27)

In this dream I was held in prision like place with lots of boxes and crates. It was a warehouse basement. I made a run for it after a little while into my dream. I got out and hid among some hedges on the side of the road. I somehow ended up at a family friend's house. He moved out when his parents divorced many years ago. It was an old house by the ocean, with a steep embankment to one side. Their was a tree house in a tree hanging on the embankment behind the house. I somehow ended up at an older, more beaten, and abandoned version of his old house, that had a tree house that had a two by four as a bridge to get to it. I went into the house to see if it was empty or not. I got upstairs to his parents bedroom which has a couch in it when I saw the shadow of a movement. I bolted and the person gave up seeing who it was once I was out of the house. I somehow got back to the prison place, thinking that they wouldn't bother looking for me in the place I'd escaped from. I got a pair of clothes, street clothes. I hid in the hedges along the side of the road, I remember the colors matching the green and brown. I somehow made it across the street and into a terminal. It was either a train or plan station. The guy in front of me was having trouble with the ticket machine so two guards or policemen came over. They turned to me curious and I played it cool by saying that, 'yea I know I look like that chick that escaped, I've been getting that all day'. They left. I woke up.

Dream (September 25)

In the dream I had a mentally retarded brother who stayed in a white empty swimming pool like part of a white room. I also had an older brother who reminded me of the quiet frat boy from my art class. I was stressed supporting the mentally ill brother. As one point my grandmother gave up her passion of photography (my real grandmother doesn't take photos). I kept one of the cameras to continue her passion. In front of my dorm building, a guy from my math class and dorm building played the guitar to earn money to help me help my brother. I was stressed and mad at my older brother. But the dream ended when we resolved the tension between us and hugged.

Creepers

More awkward movements this past week thanks to men...

A freshmen resident of mine just came up to me and licked my ear. Yup, I'm talking to someone and he comes over, puts his hand on my waist and stands way to close. "What the?" And before I can even figure out what is going on he licks my ear and ducks into his room. According to the rest of the people on his hall this normal. Okay, then...

A few nights ago I'm walking in front of the student union at about 8:30 at night. A red sports car pulls up and an African American guy asks me how to get to the gym from here. So I tell him and then continue on my way, talking to my mother on the phone. He calls out, "Hey! Wait!". So I turn and he says "I didn't catch your name?" So I make one up...not a very good one at that though. I throw out a nice to meet you, and then continue on my way again. This however is followed by another "hey". So I turn, this time half knowing what's coming next. He calls from the car: "Can I gettcha numbah?" I'm not even kidding. It was straight out of a you tube video, accent and all. I muttered something about not giving people my number, smiled, and walked away.

Remember that creeper kid that asked me to go ice skating last winter? Well he facebook chatted me today and said "I read your bio, so you like such and such? Because I love that too :)" Awkward, I mean really who mentions that in passing? Except for close friends making fun of you.

Wow....gaaaaah! Creepers! *sigh* Are they trying to creep me out or just doing this without meaning to?

The Jew in Me

I went to Rosh Hashanah orthodox services the other night with a friend. I'd never been to a service before. The men were on one side of the room and the women were on the other, separated by a thin curtained screen. The rabbi stood in the front with the Torah. The Hebrew was absolutely haunting and beautiful. I can't wait to learn Hebrew.

After I walked over the dinner with two of my friends. The rabbi and his wife has hired a few people and together had made a tremendous traditional meal. I found the food unusual, but good. I'm not a huge fan of the meat. It's not bad but it's nothing great. The salad, hallah, honey, fruit, humus, and the deserts were amazing though.

I've always loved Jewish culture, even as a kid. My favorite movies and books were always personal stories from the Holocaust. I suppose that's why I slowly developed the dream to visit Israel. Hopefully this time next year I'll be in Jerusalem.

The "Mosque"

Is not a mosque. Is 2 blocks away. Is in a strongly growing Muslim community. Is prime real estate. Is not run by terrorists. Is not run by extremists. Is perfectly legal.

The Muslims that are building this mosque are about as related to the terrorists, as I, an American moderate Catholic, am related to a fundamentalist, polygamous practicing, south western Mormon. Or a crazy abortion bomber. Or a Quiver Baptist who has 20 children.

If you want respect, the legal right to pratice what you believe, and to not have other religions piss on you, you should probably try to treat others as you want to be treated.

Oh, and although you have the right to, let's please try not burn a the holy book of 1.5 billion people, about 20% of the Earth's population, because we all know that if someone decided to burn the bible, you'd all be up in arms too.